Well, the test results are in, and there is no DNA evidence to support the rape charge by the African-American exotic dancer and North Carolina Central University student who alleged she was raped by the Duke University lacrosse team, but that hasn't stopped the DA from pushing on with the investigation.  Apparently, in North Carolina you don't need evidence--to quote District Attorney Mike Nifong: "It doesn't mean nothing happened. It just means nothing was left behind." Notice the masterful use of the double negative.

The accused, privileged white males; the victim a poor, black female, this is all starting to sound suspiciously familiar.  Does anyone remember Tawana Brawley?  She was a black female who was found in 1987, incoherant and smeared with feces.  She alleged that she had been raped by white police officers.  Grand juries were convened.  Grave allegations of institution bigotry were made.  Later it was found to have been a total fabrication, but not before Ms. Brawley absconded with the $300,000 defense fund and Al Sharpton went from being a local community activist preacher to a race-baiter of national proportions. 

Cases need to be decided on evidence.  Neither the victim nor the perpetrator (assuming there was a perpetrator) are more or less believable because of their race or class. Time was when a poor, black accuser would have been automatically ignored because of her race and class; today she is automatically believed.  This has got to stop.